


Dead of Winter (Life Support)

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Gen, M/M, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-21 03:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3676269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Masons are on their last legs, wandering the wilderness in the dead of winter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dead of Winter (Life Support)

            Winter is hard, miserable, and brutal.  What’s left of the 2nd Mass has been scattered, but as worried as Tom is for everyone else, he can’t help but be relieved that this time he managed to keep his family close.  They can come through anything as long as they’re together.

Even if the cold is leading to constant arguments. 

            “Take my gloves, Hal,” Ben says, holding them out.  Hal had given his gloves to Matt a few days ago, figuring that they would run across more gloves soon.  They hadn’t been lucky.  Ben’s voice gets low.  “If your fingers fall off, Matt is gonna feel terrible.”

            “They’re your gloves, Ben.  Keep them.  I’m fine,” Hal says.

            “I saw your fingers.  They’re blue.  That’s not good,” Ben hisses, shaking his gloves aggressively.  “Super spikes means I can deal with the cold better.”

            “They don’t make you invincible, dummy,” Hal says.  “I don’t think you’re going to regrow fingers.”

            “Take them for Matt, okay?”

            “And how am I gonna feel if _your_ fingers turn blue?”

            “Just do it,” Ben says, shoving the gloves into the crook of Hal’s elbow and darting away before Hal can respond.

            Tom is strangely proud, even though he is worried.

            “Taking the gloves is the intelligent move,” Shaq chimes in.  “It will increase your chances of survival.” 

            Tom doesn’t have to look behind him to know that Hal is glaring at Shaq even as he’s putting the gloves on.

            With the exception of their fingers, it isn’t usually too bad when they’re walking during the day.  They move at a decent clip but not so fast that Matt gets worn out. 

            Night, though, that’s a different story.

            They have two tents; they had three but they ditched one when they realized that Ben rarely slept and Matt hated sleeping alone.  Matt switches back and forth between sleeping in the two tents. 

            It still gets deadly cold at night; Tom barely sleeps, worried about Ben out on watch, especially when the wind starts whipping.  Those nights, it’s barely warm enough in the tent, even burrowed up against Cochise, even when Matt is there too, or when Ben can’t stay out on watch so he comes in.

            “Tom Mason,” Cochise says as they’re setting up the tent one afternoon.  “I believe we should share one tent tonight.  The weather patterns indicate that it will be colder and windier than in previous nights.”

            Tom is about to reply when Shaq cuts in, saying something in Volm that Tom can’t understand.  Cochise replies back in kind, starting off an argument that none of the humans can understand.

            Normally, he’s perfectly content to let Cochise and Shaq speak in Volm; it is their native language after all, and he knows that he can’t expect to be privy to all of their secrets.  This arguing is slowing down the process of making camp, though.  Looking around at his kids- Matt laying limp in Hal’s arms, Ben pale as a corpse except for the dark circles under his glassy eyes, Hal trying to subtly lean against a tree so he doesn’t fall down- Tom realizes they can’t take a long, drawn out argument. 

            “Guys!” Tom interrupts, air burning his lungs as he inhales.  “Why one tent?”

            “Shak-Chic and I can increase our metabolisms for a short time and increase our heat output,” Cochise says.  “I have not suggested it before now because it is not something that can be sustained, but in light of the possibility for extreme cold tonight, I believe it may be necessary.” 

            “What he is not informing you of,” Shaq says in a harsh tone, “is that it could be dangerous for us.”

            “It is worth the risk,” Cochise says firmly.

            “What kind of risk?” Hal says, voice weak.

            “We may starve ourselves or enter a coma before daylight comes,” Shaq says.  “In which case, we would be a liability, not an asset.” 

            “By sharing a tent, we split the risk,” Cochise says.  “We will raise our metabolism in shifts.”

            Tom looks over his sons again, all clearly on their last legs.  “We’ll put the tent up and then figure out what next.  Just one, for tonight.”  He’s really not sure if they could put up two tents tonight.  He feels dead on his feet, and he’s doing better than they are.

            Ben and Shaq both nod and get to work, Ben murmuring something to Hal that gets him to stay put. 

            Tom pulls Cochise aside.  “You said that you want to raise your metabolism.  Shaq said it’s dangerous; that you could starve.  You need more food?”

            “It would lower the risk,” Cochise says.

            “You two split my dinner rations,” Tom says, stomach grumbling at the thought of going without dinner. 

            “You are hungry,” Cochise says.

            “I’ll be fine,” Tom says.  “I’ve been hungrier and Shaq is right.  It’ll be harder to keep going if we have to carry you.” 

            Cochise looks like he wants to argue, but Tom goes to help Ben and Shaq with the tent.  Tom can’t tell Cochise not to risk his life like this, even though it scares him; clearly, his boys are going to need this and they’re what’s most important.  He can minimize the risk to him and Shaq though. 

            As soon as they’re done with the tent, Ben holds the flap open to let Hal inside, Matt still snuggled in his arms.  Once they’re settled in, the rest of them cram into the tent. 

It’s a tight fit- the tent was designed to hold three adults, not four humans and two Volm.  Tom sits on Cochise’s lap, Ben right in front of them.  Tom keeps his arms wrapped around Ben for warmth, even over his objections.  Hal sits in Shaq’s lap, and Matt is curled against him.  Matt stirs every once in a while and Hal murmurs something softly in his ear.

As the wind starts to whistle, Hal turns a little to Shaq.  “What was that you and Cochise were saying about warmth?”

“It is an unwise decision,” Shaq says, “that could leave us compromised.”

“You said you were worried about starvation,” Tom says.  “You and Cochise can split my dinner ration.  That should help keep you going, right?”  The two Volm had smaller rations than the four humans because Volm (according to Cochise) require much less food than humans do.

“Mine too,” Hal chimes in.

“No,” Tom says firmly.  He’s seen Hal give Matt parts of his rations too many times to let him give up a whole meal.

“Shaq can have my food,” Ben offers.  “I’m feeling kind of sick anyway.”

“Are you okay?” Tom asks, looking down and tilting Ben’s face upwards so he can examine him.  It’s impossible to tell, with the state they’re in. 

“Yeah, just kind of nauseated,” Ben says with a wan smile.

Tom rubs his arms, hoping the friction will warm him up somehow. 

“They can have mine too,” Matt chimes in. 

“That will not be necessary,” Cochise says, looking down at Tom.  “One portion of food each should suffice.”

“This remains a dangerous course of action,” Shaq says.

“I remain your commanding officer,” Cochise says with a hint of authority that Tom isn’t used to hearing.  “We will keep the tent warm in shifts, so that the humans under our care survive the night.”

Shaq sighs loudly and then looks at Hal, who is glaring back at him.  “I will take the first shift.  Please come closer so that my heat will have the maximum effect.”

Cochise scoots him and Tom closer to Shaq, Tom pulling Ben along.  Hal shifts out of Shaq’s lap and hands him Matt. 

“You hold him,” Hal says softly, biting his lip. 

“Hal…” Matt protests, shaking from cold.

“Just for a little bit, buddy,” Hal says.

“I will hold him for however long you see fit, Hal Mason,” Shaq says, wrapping an arm around Matt.  He snakes another hand to squeeze Hal’s arm gently before resting it on his knee.

“Thanks, babe,” Hal says, resting his hand on Shaq’s and smiling at him.

Tom doesn’t really get Hal’s relationship with Shaq.  It worries him, almost more than he’s happy for Hal.  Hal is, at heart, gentle and kind.  Tom hasn’t seen that kind of tenderness from Shaq until now.  He’s still worried that Shaq is going to hurt Hal somehow, but Hal is old enough to make mistakes of the heart.  If Shaq was truly bad news, Tom trusts that Cochise would tell him.

Ben smiles at the two of them, looking wistfully at their hands.  He starts getting dinner ready for everyone.  It’s mostly Volm food at this point, where all Ben has to do is press a few buttons on some alien machine and everyone gets their lukewarm portions. 

He dishes the meals out to Shaq, Cochise, Matt, and Hal. 

“Take a few bites,” Hal says, holding his food out to Ben.

“Nauseated means you don’t want to eat, Hal,” Ben says.

“I know what it means, dummy,” Hal says, his voice lacking any kind of bite or inflection whatsoever.  “You still need to eat something.”

“If I throw up in here, you’re all going to kick me out,” Ben says.  “I’m fine.”

Hal sighs and starts eating. 

It’s slow, but the heat from whatever Shaq is doing begins to circulate through the dingy little tent.  Tom smiles, looking at how his kids perk up, just the slightest bits.  They haven’t had this much warmth in their bodies for what feels like ages. 

“How are you feeling?” Hal asks Matt.

“Toasty,” Matt says, leaning against Shaq like it’s the most casual thing in the world.

“Can you feel your fingers and toes?” Tom asks.

“Yeah,” Matt says, nodding. 

Tom sighs in relief.  He’s been so worried about his kids’ extremities.  And he knows that they’d all keep going even if their toes were falling off.  His kids are so tough that it scares Tom.

“I will take over now,” Cochise says.  It’s been a few hours. 

“We should sleep, if that’s okay with you two,” Tom says.

“I will be alright, Tom Mason.  Do not worry,” Cochise says. 

“Perhaps Chichauk should hold onto Matthew Mason,” Shaq says. 

“ _Matt_ Mason,” Matt says, rolling his eyes.  “And I’m good here.”

“My arms are tired,” Shaq says.  “I wish to cease holding you.”

Hal is looking at Shaq with sheer, unadulterated affection.

“Hal, then,” Matt says, crawling into his lap.

            “You guys can sleep over here,” Tom says, shifting off of Cochise’s lap reluctantly.

            Hal nods and there’s a lot of shuffling as they get ready to go to sleep.  Cochise is at one end of the tent, Hal next to him.  Because of how small the tent is, Matt is basically laying on them both.  Tom is wedged next to them- Ben had insisted, muttering about being more resilient and knowing he wants to be close to Cochise.  Ben burrows himself into Tom’s back, wrapping an arm around him and holding on as if to dear life.  Shaq lays on his side as well, almost falling out of the tent. 

            They’re half asleep when there’s a loud creak outside before a gunshot goes off.  Tom and Hal both bolt upright, Ben’s arm still half clinging to Tom’s chest.  Ben tugs on him.

            “It’s a tree,” Ben says, coughing to clear his throat.

            “There’s a tree shooting at us?” Matt says sleepily.  “They should be on our side.”

            “It means it’s really cold out right now,” Ben explains.  “When the cold freezes the sap in different kinds of trees, it expands and explodes.  We’ll probably hear more tonight.”

            “You’re sure that’s what it is?” Hal asks. 

            “Yeah.  If you’ve got super freak hearing, the difference is pretty plain.  The only way I’d get confused is if someone was holding the barrel of their gun right up to the tree,” Ben says.

            “You’re not a freak,” Tom says softly, looking back at him.

            The hand balled up on Tom’s jacket tightens and Ben just stares up at Tom.  “If trees are exploding, it means Cochise was right; it’s very cold out.”

            “We’re safe, though?” Hal asks.

            “As long as the trees near us don’t explode,” Ben says.

            “Great, exploding trees,” Tom says as he lays back down again.  “There’s nothing we can do about the trees, though, so we should try to rest while we have this warmth.”

            Hal nods and lays down too. 

            Tom can’t sleep, though.  He’s too busy worrying about Cochise.  That he hasn’t asked some kind of question about the exploding trees or else provided some kind of anecdote is uncharacteristic, especially since he’s with family.  His breathing is steady and his eyes are open, though, which Tom wants to take as a good sign.

            “I will take over now,” Shaq says a few hours later. 

            Cochise does not respond.

            “Chichauk, I will take over now,” Shaq repeats.

            Tom starts to stir, trying not to disturb his kids as he sits up to lean over to look at Cochise.  He almost looks asleep. 

            “Cochise,” Tom whispers, reaching over and nudging him.  He’s warm to the touch, even through his clothes. 

            Ben sits up.  “Is Cochise okay?”

            “I’m not sure,” Tom says.

            Suddenly, there’s shuffling as Matt and Hal wake up.  Matt nearly throws himself off of Cochise and into Hal’s lap. 

            “Did I hurt him?” Matt asks in a small voice.  “Did I hurt Volm Dad?”

            “It is unlikely,” Shaq says, also sitting up.  “The Volm can withstand weight much higher than you.”

            “Then what’s wrong?” Matt asks. 

            “It is possible he slipped into a coma,” Shaq says.  “I informed you of the possibility.”

            Tom scoots around so he can put Cochise’s head in his lap.  He realizes that the kids are all sitting up to watch over Cochise now. 

            “You guys should try to go back to sleep,” Tom says, looking at each of them in turn.  There’s a little color in their cheeks and none of them are shaking.  It’s a good change, but they still need more rest.

            “It is what Chichauk would wish,” Shaq says, scooting over.  He takes what Tom assumes is Cochise’s pulse and listens to his breathing.  “I believe that Chichauk is merely asleep.”

            “Then why won’t he wake up?” Matt asks, poking him.

            “Volm are heavy sleepers,” Tom supplies, remembering the few times that Cochise has fallen asleep around him.  “They can sleep through an explosion.” 

            “An evolutionary defect we have yet to correct,” Shaq says. 

            “So it’s okay for you to go back to sleep, Matt,” Tom says.

            Matt lays down on the other side of the tent, tugging Hal with him.  Shaq returns to where he had been before, wrapping his arm tightly around both Hal and Matt. 

            “You should go to sleep too, Ben,” Tom says.

            “I’m okay,” Ben says.  He leans over to whisper in Tom’s ear.  “If Cochise is asleep, that means he won’t be able to turn his metabolism back to normal before he starves.”

            “I know,” Tom murmurs, resting a hand on Ben’s arm and squeezing.  “But Cochise is strong.”

            Ben looks at him, eyes full of sadness.  “We’re all weak right now, Dad.  All of us.  If we don’t find somewhere soon…”

            “We’re gonna be okay, Ben,” Tom says, shaking him gently.  He knows how Ben has a tendency to get stuck on the negatives.  “We’ll find shelter, find food, find the rest of our people.”

            “I hope Cochise wakes up soon,” Ben says, patting Cochise’s arm.  He leans over and kisses Tom on the cheek before laying down.

            Tom can tell that Ben isn’t actually sleeping, but Tom appreciates that he’s giving him and Cochise some semblance of privacy.  He leans down and presses his lips to Cochise’s warm forehead. 

            “You’re gonna be alright Cochise, you hear me?” Tom murmurs softly against his skin.  “You’re going to wake up and be okay.”

            It’s a long night- trees keep exploding as Tom keeps watch over his family.  He pushes his fears as far down as he can.  Tom has to keep focused.

            When it starts to get light, Tom starts to lose hope that Cochise will wake up.  Everyone slowly wakes up and Ben starts to get breakfast ready for them.

            “Are you feeling better this morning?” Hal asks.  “Gonna be able to eat breakfast?”

            Ben nods.  “Feeling much better.”

            “Good,” Hal says.

            They eat silently until Shaq breaks the silence.  “I am aware that none of you will wish to discuss it, but we may have to leave Chichauk behind.”

            “Not gonna happen,” Tom says flatly.

            “We don’t abandon each other,” Hal says.  “You should know that by now.”

            “Carrying him will slow us down considerably,” Shaq says.

            “We can pull him over the ice and snow in the tent.  Between me and Shaq, it shouldn’t be much of a problem,” Ben says.  “Not the nicest ride, but better than abandonment.”

            “There’s no point in arguing for us to leave him,” Hal says to Shaq. 

            “If the positions were reversed, I would wish for you to abandon me,” Shaq informs him.

            Hal snorts and kisses his cheek gently.  “And I would refuse to leave you behind.” 

            “Humans,” Shaq mutters.

            ”We can wait a few more minutes, though, right?” Matt says.  “Maybe he’ll wake up.”

            “Yeah, a few minutes,” Tom says, looking down at Cochise’s unconscious body. 

            The few minutes passes too fast, and Ben tugs on Tom’s arm.  “It’s time.”

            Full of reluctance, Tom slips out from underneath Cochise.  “I love you,” he murmurs into his ear.

            They slowly finish packing, everyone reluctant to leave the warmth of the tent, to leave Cochise by himself. 

            The cold seems icier after the night spent toasty warm, and they all pull their coverings close.  Ben and Shaq pull Cochise in the tent behind them, leaving slightly melted snow in their wake.  It’s cold and miserable going, through an endlessly white landscape. 

            And then, they see a house.  It’s small, but it looks structurally sound.

            “Hal and I will go check it out,” Tom says.  “See if there are people, see if they’re friendly.  Shaq, you be sure to stay out of sight if they come outside.” 

            “Affirmative,” Shaq says.

            “Be careful,” Ben says.

            Tom and Hal walk towards the house, alert for signs of hostilities.

            “What are we gonna do if there are people there?” Hal whispers.  “They’re not going to like having Shaq and Cochise here.  Or Ben, if they get a look at his neck.”

            “We’ll figure something out,” Tom says as he knocks on the door.  “And Ben can stay bundled up.”

            Tom knocks a few times, and when he gets no answer, he looks around for a key.  There’s one above the doorframe, and Tom lets him and Hal in.

            The first thing that Tom notices is how stale the air is; there’s a fine layer of dust on the mirror hanging in the entryway.

            “It looks like no one no one has been in here since the invasion started,” Hal whispers.  “Let’s check the kitchen.” 

            It’s right off the main room and Hal opens the door to the cupboards with baited breath.  There’s more food than Tom has seen in one place since Charleston; it almost makes him tear up.  No more hungry kids handing their rations over to each other, at least for a while.

            “We’ve got to get them in here, Dad,” Hal says.  “We can be safe here, at least for now.”

            “We’ll get them in here, and then finish checking the house,” Tom agrees. 

            They walk back outside, and Tom just wishes that Cochise was awake to share in their discovery.  He’d be so excited, too.

            It’s difficult to get Cochise up the stairs to the porch and into the house, but they manage it.  There’s a couch in the living room and they take Cochise out of the tent to lay him down onto it.

            Hours later, after they’ve thoroughly explored the house and discovered that the place even has heat, they’re gathered in the living room, eating a solid meal for the first time in too long. 

            Despite their happiness, there’s a somberness cast over their dinner.  Tom smiles softly as Hal works to distract his brothers from thinking about Cochise too much.  Tom just watches Cochise’s chest rise and fall.

            “Tom Mason…”

            Tom drops his borrowed plate and silverware to the ground as the familiar voice says his name.  He slides off the arm of the couch and drops to his knees beside Cochise. 

            “Hey, Cochise,” Tom says softly, grabbing his hand.  “How are you feeling?”

            “Are they alright?” Cochise asks.

            “Yeah.  You did it,” Tom says, pressing his lips to Cochise’s knuckles.  “We’re all gonna be alright.  Do you want some food?”

            “If you have enough,” Cochise says.

            “Oh, Cochise.  We’ve got plenty of food,” Tom says, smiling widely.

            Ben is already getting the Volm food machine going behind him.

            “Where are we?  What has transpired?” Cochise says.

            “You just rest, okay?  And we’ll tell you all about it.  But the short answer is, we’re safe,” Tom says. 

            Cochise nods slowly, taking the food that Ben offers him.  “Thank you, Ben Mason.”

            “Thank _you,_ Cochise,” Ben says.  “I don’t know if you heard, but the trees were exploding last night.  If you and Shaq hadn’t been warming us up, I don’t know if we could have survived it.”

            “Exploding trees?” Cochise asks, sitting up with Tom’s help.  “I was not aware that your planet had exploding foliage.  You must tell me more.”

            Tom settles next to Cochise, wrapping an arm around him and watching as he listens as Ben tells Cochise about tree sap and freezing points.  Cochise is absolutely enraptured. 

            Winter is hard, miserable, and brutal, but Tom is relieved that he’s been able to spend it with his family.  And now, for a little while at least, they’ll be able to spend it in the safety of this house. 


End file.
